Background
Methods
Questionnaire development
Pilot test of questionnaire
Sampling frame
Participant sampling
Survey implementation
Data management
Data analysis
Ethics
Results
Response rates
Characteristics of nurses working in rural and remote settings
Age group | Atlantic (NL, NS, NB, PE)
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories (YT, NT, NU)
n (%) | Total
N (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<25 | 18 (2.1) | 20 (7.0) | – | 16 (2.1) | 12 (2.1) | – | 73 (2.2) |
25–34 | 122 (14.1) | 77 (27.0) | 44 (11.5) | 113 (15.2) | 112 (19.4) | 114 (21.8) | 582 (17.2) |
35–44 | 176 (20.3) | 67 (23.5) | 71 (18.5) | 133 (17.9) | 99 (17.2) | 111 (21.2) | 657 (19.4) |
45–54 | 283 (32.7) | 76 (26.7) | 124 (32.4) | 219 (29.4) | 158 (27.4) | 124 (23.7) | 984 (29.1) |
55–64 | 231 (26.7) | 40 (14.0) | 127 (33.2) | 229 (30.7) | 175 (30.3) | 136 (26.0) | 938 (27.8) |
>64 | 36 (4.2) | 5 (1.8) | 14 (3.7) | 35 (4.7) | 21 (3.6) | 35 (6.7) | 146 (4.3) |
Female subtotal | 882 (94.4) | 288 (93.8) | 397 (97.5) | 760 (93.5) | 589 (93.5) | 539 (90.0) | 3 455 (93.6) |
<25 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
25–34 | 10 (19.2) | – | – | 8 (16.0) | 5 (12.5) | 10 (16.9) | 40 (17.4) |
35–44 | 13 (25.0) | – | – | 11 (22.0) | 5 (12.5) | 23 (39.0) | 59 (25.7) |
45–54 | 18 (34.6) | – | – | 16 (32.0) | 17 (42.5) | 9 (15.3) | 65 (28.3) |
55–64 | 10 (19.2) | 7 (36.8) | – | 13 (26.0) | 10 (25.0) | 16 (27.1) | 59 (25.7) |
>64 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 (2.2) |
Male subtotal | 52 (5.6) | 19 (6.2) | 10 (2.5) | 53 (6.5) | 41 (6.5) | 60 (10.0) | 235 (6.4) |
<25 | 19 (2.1) | 20 (6.6) | – | 16 (2.0) | 13 (2.1) | – | 75 (2.1) |
25–34 | 132 (14.3) | 81 (26.6) | 47 (11.9) | 121 (15.2) | 118 (19.0) | 124 (21.2) | 623 (17.2) |
35–44 | 190 (20.6) | 71 (23.3) | 74 (18.7) | 145 (18.2) | 104 (16.8) | 135 (23.0) | 719 (19.8) |
45–54 | 304 (32.9) | 81 (26.6) | 125 (31.6) | 235 (29.5) | 176 (28.4) | 133 (22.7) | 1 054 (29.1) |
55–64 | 243 (26.3) | 47 (15.4) | 132 (33.4) | 243 (30.5) | 186 (30.0) | 153 (26.1) | 1004 (27.7) |
>64 | 36 (3.9) | 5 (1.6) | 14 (3.5) | 37 (4.6) | 23 (3.7) | 37 (6.3) | 152 (4.2) |
Total sample | 969 (25.4) | 314 (8.2) | 422 (11.0) | 841 (22.0) | 655 (17.1) | 621 (16.2) | 3 822 (100.0) |
Education credentials | Atlantic
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories
n (%) | Total
N (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LPN Diploma | 451 (46.9) | 127 (40.4) | 193 (46.2) | 326 (39.1) | 261 (40.1) | 102 (16.6) | 1 460 (38.5) |
LPN Equivalency | 13 (1.4) | 6 (1.9) | 11 (2.6) | 19 (2.3) | 13 (2.0) | – | 66 (1.7) |
Diploma in Nursing | 303 (31.5) | 144 (45.9) | 175 (41.9) | 258 (30.9) | 204 (31.3) | 274 (44.7) | 1 358 (35.8) |
Diploma in Psych Nursing | 5 (0.5) | – | – | 119 (14.3) | 68 (10.4) | 10 (1.6) | 206 (5.4) |
Advanced Diploma in Psych Nursing | – | – | – | 5 (0.6) | – | – | 15 (0.4) |
Bachelor’s in Nursing | 284 (29.6) | 98 (31.2) | 83 (19.9) | 202 (24.2) | 191 (29.3) | 318 (51.9) | 1 176 (31.0) |
Post Basic Certificate | 96 (10.0) | 20 (6.4) | 40 (9.6) | 32 (3.8) | 69 (10.6) | 140 (22.8) | 397 (10.5) |
Rural and Remote Certificate | – | – | – | – | 18 (2.8) | 39 (6.4%) | 69 (1.8) |
NP Diploma/Certificate | 15 (1.6) | 6 (1.9) | 26 (6.2) | 18 (2.2) | 5 (0.8) | 19 (3.1%) | 89 (2.3) |
Master’s in Nursing | 24 (2.5) | – | 13 (3.1) | 10 (1.2) | 25 (3.8) | 29 (4.7) | 103 (2.7) |
Doctorate in Nursing | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 (0.02) |
Nursing—total sample | 952 | 307 | 415 | 810 | 638 | 603 | 3 725 |
Bachelor’s (non-nursing) | 41 (4.3) | 8 (2.5) | 19 (4.5) | 47 (5.6) | 35 (5.4) | 70 (11.4) | 220 (5.8) |
Master’s (non-nursing) | 12 (1.2) | 6 (1.9) | 8 (1.9) | 7 (0.8) | 15 (2.3) | 24 (3.9) | 72 (1.9) |
Doctorate (non-nursing) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Non-nursing—total sample | 50 | 13 | 25 | 54 | 48 | 88 | 278 |
Employment status and work setting of rural and remote nurses
Nursing employment status | Atlantic
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories
n (%) | Total
N (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FT permanent | 625 (65.6) | 162 (52.1) | 257 (61.5) | 391 (46.8) | 255 (39.2) | 337 (54.9) | 2 027 (53.6) |
PT permanent | 203 (21.3) | 135 (43.4) | 130 (31.1) | 317 (38.0) | 282 (43.3) | 92 (15.0) | 1 159 (30.6) |
Job share | 5 (0.5) | – | – | 14 (1.7) | – | 17 (2.8) | 43 (1.1) |
Casual | 129 (13.5) | 10 (3.2) | 43 (10.3) | 154 (18.4) | 135 (20.7) | 127 (20.7) | 598 (15.8) |
Contract/term | 23 (2.4) | 5 (1.6) | 8 (1.9) | 25 (3.0) | 22 (3.4) | 89 (14.5) | 172 (4.5) |
Total sample | 953 | 311 | 418 | 835 | 651 | 614 | 3 782 |
Primary place of employment | Atlantic
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories
n (%) | Total
N (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hospital | 465 (48.7) | 133 (42.9) | 223 (53.2) | 282 (33.9) | 291 (45.0) | 192 (31.3) | 1 586 (42.0) |
Nursing home/long-term care facility | 232 (24.3) | 37 (11.9) | 79 (18.9) | 231 (27.8) | 139 (21.5) | 61 (10.0) | 779 (20.6) |
Community health center | 60 (6.3) | 57 (18.4) | 24 (5.7) | 64 (7.7) | 46 (7.1) | 200 (32.6) | 451 (11.9) |
Home care agency | 42 (4.4) | 6 (1.9) | 21 (5.0) | 50 (6.0) | 30 (4.6) | 17 (2.8) | 166 (4.4) |
Public health unit | 35 (3.7) | – | 9 (2.1) | 22 (2.6) | 33 (5.1) | 27 (4.4) | 127 (3.4) |
Physician’s office | 30 (3.1) | 18 (5.8) | 34 (8.1) | 12 (1.4) | 20 (3.1) | 9 (1.5) | 123 (3.3) |
Mental health/crisis center | 14 (1.5) | – | 10 (2.4) | 52 (6.3) | 37 (5.7) | 9 (1.5) | 122 (3.2) |
Integrated facility | 15 (1.6) | 31 (10.0) | 5 (1.2) | 54 (6.5) | 8 (1.2) | 6 (1.0) | 119 (3.2) |
Educational institution | 23 (2.4) | 6 (1.9) | – | 6 (0.7) | 10 (1.5) | 16 (2.6) | 61 (1.6) |
Multidisciplinary primary health care clinic | 15 (1.6) | – | – | 20 (2.4) | 6 (0.9) | 8 (1.3) | 56 (1.5) |
Professional association/government | 7 (0.7) | – | – | 11 (1.3) | – | 31 (5.1) | 55 (1.5) |
Other | 6 (0.6) | – | – | 10 (1.2) | 7 (1.1) | 27 (4.4) | 54 (1.4) |
Private nursing/self-employed | 6 (0.6) | – | – | 6 (0.7) | 7 (1.1) | 5 (0.8) | 31 (0.8) |
Rehab/convalescent centre | – | 5 (1.6) | – | 7 (0.8) | – | – | 19 (0.5) |
Occupational health | – | – | – | – | – | – | 13 (0.3) |
Nurse practitioner-led clinic | – | – | – | – | – | – | 13 (0.3) |
Total sample | 955 | 310 | 419 | 832 | 646 | 613 | 3 775 |
Living and working in rural communities
Atlantic
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories
n (%) | Total
N (%) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population of childhood community | |||||||
Small (999 or less) | 391 (41.6) | 75 (28.4) | 92 (22.7) | 448 (54.4) | 167 (26.1) | 122 (20.4) | 1 295 (34.9) |
Medium (1 000–9 999) | 385 (41.0) | 118 (39.1) | 178 (43.8) | 196 (23.8) | 231 (36.0) | 129 (21.5) | 1 237 (33.3) |
Large (>10 000) | 163 (17.4) | 109 (36.1) | 136 (33.5) | 180 (21.8) | 243 (37.9) | 348 (58.1) | 1 179 (31.8) |
Total sample | 939 | 302 | 406 | 824 | 641 | 599 | 3 711 |
Population of primary work community | |||||||
Small (999 or less) | 95 (10.2) | 19 (6.3) | 18 (4.5) | 213 (26.0) | 49 (7.7) | 113 (18.9) | 507 (13.7) |
Medium (1 000-9 999) | 542 (58.5) | 173 (57.3) | 268 (66.3) | 408 (49.8) | 421 (65.9) | 215 (35.9) | 2 027 (54.9) |
Large (>10 000) | 290 (31.3) | 110 (36.4) | 118 (29.2) | 198 (24.2) | 169 (26.4) | 271 (45.1) | 1156 (31.3) |
Total sample | 927 | 302 | 404 | 819 | 639 | 599 | 3 690 |
Live in primary work community | |||||||
Yes | 495 (52.2) | 183 (59.4) | 239 (58.2) | 413 (49.8) | 397 (61.7) | 429 (71.1) | 2 156 (57.6) |
Total sample | 948 | 308 | 411 | 830 | 643 | 603 | 3 743 |
Overall, I am satisfied with my primary work community | Atlantic
M (SD)
n = 958 | QC
M (SD)
n = 307 | ON
M (SD)
n = 417 | MB/SK
M (SD)
n = 833 | AB/BC
M (SD)
n = 645 | Territories
M (SD)
n = 607 | Total
M (SD)
n= |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NP
n = 162 | 4.10 (0.70) | 4.25 (0.79) | 4.06 (0.81) | 4.32 (0.48) | 4.00 (0.63) | 4.23 (0.63) | 4.16 (0.69) |
RN
n = 2 045 | 4.10 (0.78) | 4.08 (0.63) | 4.08 (0.72) | 4.09 (0.70) | 4.07 (0.83) | 4.05 (0.77) | 4.08 (0.75) |
LPN
n = 1 356 | 3.98 (0.78) | 3.88 (0.72) | 4.05 (0.79) | 3.98 (0.70) | 3.92 (0.85) | 3.97 (0.85) | 3.97 (0.78) |
RPN n = 204 | – | – | – | 3.97 (0.78) | 3.94 (0.82) | 4.33 (0.82) | 3.97 (0.79) |
Total sample
N = 3 767 | 4.04 (0.78) | 4.02 (0.69) | 4.07 (0.76) | 4.03 (0.71) | 4.00 (0.83) | 4.06 (0.78) | 4.04 (0.76) |
Overall, I am satisfied with my current nursing practice | Atlantic
M (SD)
n = 909 | QC
M (SD)
n = 306 | ON
M (SD)
n = 400 | MB/SK
M (SD)
n = 796 | AB/BC
M (SD)
n = 618 | Territories
M (SD)
n = 581 | Total
M (SD)
n= |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NP
n = 159 | 4.21 (0.83) | 4.25 (0.90) | 3.87 (0.89) | 4.28 (0.84) | 4.15 (0.49) | 4.10 (0.79) | 4.13 (0.81) |
RN
n = 1 965 | 4.00 (0.79) | 4.08 (0.58) | 4.01 (0.84) | 3.99 (0.71) | 3.88 (0.96) | 4.04 (0.75) | 4.00 (0.79) |
LPN
n = 1 286 | 3.83 (0.87) | 3.81 (0.82) | 3.83 (0.93) | 3.78 (0.83) | 3.76 (0.92) | 3.75 (0.78) | 3.80 (0.87) |
RPN
n = 200 | – | – | – | 3.81 (0.95) | 3.90 (0.68) | 4.00 (1.10) | 3.84 (0.89) |
Total sample
N = 3 610 | 3.93 (0.84) | 4.00 (0.71) | 3.92 (0.88) | 3.89 (0.81) | 3.84 (0.91) | 4.01 (0.76) | 3.92 (0.83) |
Why nurses work in rural communities
Came to work in primary work community for the following reasons | Atlantic
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories
n (%) | Total
N (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location of community | 530 (56.6) | 122 (41.1) | 240 (59.0) | 512 (62.1) | 376 (59.2) | 278 (46.6) | 2 058 (55.7) |
Interest in practice setting | 490 (52.3) | 105 (35.4) | 215 (52.8) | 438 (53.2) | 332 (52.3) | 391 (65.6) | 1 971 (53.3) |
Income | 463 (49.4) | 81 (27.3) | 161 (39.6) | 364 (44.2) | 231 (36.4) | 368 (61.7) | 1 668 (45.1) |
Family or friends | 409 (43.6) | 184 (62.0) | 178 (43.7) | 397 (48.2) | 241 (38.0) | 144 (24.2) | 1 553 (42.0) |
Lifestyle | 342 (36.5) | 146 (49.2) | 147 (36.1) | 273 (33.1) | 255 (40.2) | 280 (47.0) | 1 443 (39.0) |
Flexibility of work | 267 (28.5) | 61 (20.5) | 119 (29.2) | 249 (30.2) | 175 (27.6) | 196 (32.9) | 1 067 (28.9) |
Benefits | 324 (34.6) | 107 (36.0) | 95 (23.3) | 196 (23.8) | 135 (21.3) | 196 (32.9) | 1 053 (28.5) |
Advanced practice opportunities | 184 (19.6) | 36 (12.1) | 67 (15.5) | 151 (18.3) | 110 (17.3) | 293 (49.2) | 841 (22.8) |
Spouse employment/transfer | 148 (15.8) | 37 (12.5) | 79 (19.4) | 209 (25.4) | 156 (24.6) | 115 (19.3) | 744 (20.1) |
Career advancement | 186 (19.9) | 43 (14.5) | 62 (15.2) | 131 (15.9) | 100 (15.7) | 188 (31.5) | 710 (19.2) |
Others | 35 (3.7) | 10 (3.4) | 19 (4.7) | 31 (3.8) | 34 (5.4) | 17 (2.9) | 146 (4.0) |
Total sample | 937 | 297 | 407 | 824 | 635 | 596 | 3 696 |
Continue to work in primary work community for the following reasons | Atlantic
n (%) | QC
n (%) | ON
n (%) | MB/SK
n (%) | AB/BC
n (%) | Territories
n (%) | Total
N (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income | 543 (58.3) | 108 (36.4) | 203 (50.1) | 468 (56.7) | 332 (52.6) | 418 (70.8) | 2 072 (56.3) |
Interest in practice setting | 484 (51.9) | 135 (45.5) | 215 (53.1) | 456 (55.3) | 357 (56.6) | 394 (66.8) | 2 041 (55.5) |
Location of community | 518 (55.6) | 119 (40.1) | 224 (55.3) | 499 (60.5) | 376 (59.6) | 265 (44.9) | 2 001 (54.4) |
Family or friends | 492 (52.8) | 185 (62.3) | 213 (52.6) | 449 (54.4) | 315 (49.9) | 231 (39.2) | 1 885 (51.2) |
Lifestyle | 365 (39.2) | 153 (51.5) | 164 (40.5) | 322 (39.0) | 291 (46.1) | 306 (51.9) | 1 601 (43.5) |
Flexibility of work | 312 (33.5) | 79 (26.6) | 150 (37.0) | 318 (38.5) | 229 (36.3) | 274 (46.4) | 1 362 (37.0) |
Benefits | 368 (39.5) | 107 (36.0) | 127 (31.4) | 281 (34.1) | 209 (33.1) | 234 (39.7) | 1 326 (36.0) |
Advanced practice opportunities | 151 (16.2) | 32 (10.8) | 56 (13.8) | 133 (16.1) | 85 (13.5) | 258 (43.7) | 715 (19.4) |
Spouse employment/transfer | 126 (13.5) | 28 (9.4) | 64 (15.8) | 166 (20.1) | 130 (20.6) | 101 (17.1) | 615 (16.7) |
Career advancement | 112 (12.0) | 48 (16.2) | 38 (9.4) | 93 (11.3) | 70 (11.1) | 161 (27.3) | 522 (14.2) |
Others | 34 (3.6) | 7 (2.4) | 14 (3.5) | 27 (3.3) | 32 (5.1) | 18 (3.1) | 132 (3.6) |
Total sample | 932 | 297 | 405 | 825 | 631 | 590 | 3 680 |